Category Archives: Grain Elevators

Rawson King Mill

Posted on by Posted in Grain Elevators, Parks .

This historic mill was built in 1872 northwest of Leonidas. It closed in the 1960s due to changing regulations for grinding grain. Eston and Lydia Rawson purchased the mill and surrounding property and began restoring the old mill along with planting gardens and updating the landscaping. The Rawsons shared their little slice of heaven with the surrounding community often allowing for neighbors to use it for weddings and other gatherings. in 2015 the property was converted into a county park after Eston and Lydia donated it to St Joseph County.

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Parshallville, Cider, Doughnuts, Rock n Roll and Gangsters: A Small Town With Big History

Posted on by Posted in Grain Elevators, small towns .

The small town of Parhshallville sits in the lower mitten between Fenton and Howell. It is probably best known for the historic grist mill that is now a popular cider mill. The small town also has an interesting history. Isacc Parshall purchased land in 1834 and a few years later founded the community which was named after him. It was about a century later that the town got some new residents that were more than famous, they were “infamous” as the Three Amigos would say.  West of the quiet little town the Purple Gang of Detroit purchased a farm and throughout the 20s and 30s, they would hang out at the farm and play poker away from the watchful eyes of the police.

Besides the Purple Gang, the little town had a famous resident. Mark Farner, the lead singer and lead guitar of Flint’s Grand Funk Railroad purchased a farm near Parshallville in the 1970s and built a recording studio at his rural home. The band recorded an album produced by Frank Zappa at Farner’s farm nicknamed the Swamp.

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Manchester Mill and Waterfall

Posted on by Posted in Grain Elevators, small towns, Waterfalls .

This historic red mill sits in the southern Michigan town of Manchester. It is along the River Raisin and a small dam makes for an idyllic photo with a manmade waterfall. The historic town was first settled in 1826 and named after Manchester New York.

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The Old Grain Elevator in Ypsilanti

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ypsilanti grain elevator

Roaming around Ypsilanti, I came across this old grain elevator and had to stop and take a pic of it. I find that in many small towns, the grain elevator is the center of town, but in some of the larger cities the grain elevators are not so important, but I am sure at one time many farmers would “head into town” to the elevator. Being a city kid, I don’t know much about the elevators, but I know they are usually the tallest structures in most cities, if they still have one.

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Pears Mill

Posted on by Posted in Grain Elevators .

In the heart of downtown Buchanan is the Pears Mill. It was built in 1857 and is the last of thirteen mills that were built on the McCoy Creek. It was slated for demolition in 1983 after the co-op that used the building moved out. A group of citizens saved and restored the historic mill and it is open to visitors on Saturdays in the summer months. My thought was it seemed strange to build a mill next to downtown but, then I realized the mill was built before most of the town.

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Wolcott Mill

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Wolcott Mill located between Romeo and New Haven is among the oldest mills in Michigan. Built on the north branch of the Clinton River in the mid 1840s by the Arad Freeman family, early Macomb County settlers. it passed through several owners before Frederick Wolcott purchased it in 1878. The Wolcott family upgraded the business as technology changed. in 1881 the breastshot waterwheel was replaced by a turbine. The millstones were changed to more efficient metal rollers in 1890, and again improved in 1917. Waterpower was used until the mill closed, but it was supplemented by electric power in the 1920s. Declining business caused the Wolcott family to sell the mill in 1967. The Huron-Clinton Metroparks acquired the mill in 1979 for use as a historic interpretive site.

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Tustin Lumber and Grain

Posted on by Posted in Grain Elevators, small towns .

I saw this old building in the small town of Tustin. It looks as if it has been a while since it was used for lumber or grain. The Grand Rapids & Indiana Railroad sent Dr. J.P. Tustin, A medical missionary, to Sweden to recruit laborers. About 300 settled in the area south of Cadillac and when the town was granted a post office in 1872, they named it Tustin in honor of Dr. Tustin.

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Parshallville Cider Mill

Posted on by Posted in Grain Elevators .

This old grist mill is in the town of Parshallville between Brighton and Fenton. Built in 1869. it was purchased by Tom Walker and John Browning for $10,000 in 1878. It was owned by the Walker family for three generations until Tom Walker’s grandson also named Tom Walker retired in 1969. It was one of the last water-powered grist mills in Michigan. It is now a cider mill and is a popular spot in the fall for cider and doughnuts.

It is about a mile west of US-23. I have been down that stretch of highway countless times and never knew this old mill was in Parshallville. I need to go back in the fall for some doughnuts and cider.

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Elowski Mill

Posted on by Posted in Grain Elevators, Winter Wonderland .

This old mill stands near Posen northwest of Alpena. A Michigan historical marker gives a little history about his old mill and reads:

Prussian immigrant Michael Elowsky fled the turmoil brewing in Eastern Europe in 1862. He settled in Detroit, was joined by his family, and migrated to Presque Isle County around 1870. under President Lincoln’s Homestead Act of 1865, he obtained his land on the north branch of the Thunder Bay River near Posen at no cost. He built a log dam and moved a part of this structure from Trout River and eventually developed a complex of flour,shingle, siding, planing, and lathe milling operations. Residents of Metz, Posen, and Krakow townships brought grain and timber to this mill. With the help of Thomas Edison, Michael’s son Emil added a generator and electric lights to operate the mill 24 hours a day. When the Mill closed at the end of the harvest season in October of 1963, that became the last time it would operate. During the winter of 1963-4, a great amount of snow fell, so with the spring melt, a very great run-off on the river caused the original log dam to collapse. The great run off also wiped out the sawmill that the family had across the river on the south bank. All the equipment was left intact and remains to this day.

The mill is privately owned and is part of Hemlock Hills On Mill Pond.

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Michigan Bean Co. Elevator

Posted on by Posted in Grain Elevators .

This old Michigan Bean Co. elevator stands in the small town of Henderson northwest of Owosso. It looks as if it has been a long time since this place has been used for storing beans and grain but it makes for a pretty photo.

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